The UrbanPromise eight grade class decides to send money raised for their class trip to help the people of Malibu Presbyterian Church, instead.


This past October I watched angry and aggressive flames sweep down the Malibu Hills of Southern California and encircle Pepperdine University. The ferocious winds whipped the fire into frenzied, terrifying destruction.

My good friend, Greg Hughes, is the pastor of Malibu Presbyterian Church— located across the street from the Pepperdine campus. His church has been a long time supporter of UrbanPromise Ministries. Greg’s dynamic university outreach program attracts students from Pepperdine and challenges them to serve in the world’s neediest communities. The children of Camden have gotten to know many of the incredible students from Malibu when the California volunteers come to Camden as missionaries and interns.

When the helicopter cameras panned away from the campus to the surrounding areas, I could see thick black smoke billowing from the steeple; flames danced out of shattered windows. The Malibu Presbyterian Church, in moments, was reduced to charred wreckage.

During our chapel service the next week, the news was shared with our young students at the CamdenForward School. Pictures were shown, newspaper clippings were read, and the children were encouraged to pray for their California friends. The children were moved by the fire’s devastation.

Later in the day a student said to Mr. Muzyczek, his teacher, “A few of us were talking. As you know we’ve been selling pretzels to raise money for our class trip. And we decided we want to send our trip money to the church in California to help them rebuild.”

“That’s a great idea, Jose. But we’ll need to get everyone in the class to agree on the idea. We can take a vote. It’s the class’s money, so everyone’ll need to agree to make this gift.”

Mr. Muzyczek gathered the class together. “You are all aware that we have been raising money for our class trip. Everyone has worked hard and I am proud of you. Now, a few of you have suggested that we should send our money to First Presbyterian Church in Malibu to help them rebuild. As you learned in chapel today, their church is gone. If you think it’s a good idea for us to send our trip money to our friends in California, raise your hand.”

Hands began to rise. Then all 17 popped into the air. Unanimous!
Next week I will have the privilege of sending a small, but, oh so generous check of $150 to my friend Greg, from a group of thirteen year olds in Camden. Against the magnitude of the task, our gift will not do much-- a few bricks, a couple of hymnals, a child sized chair.

But how symbolic! It’s a symbol of the kind of young leaders UrbanPromise is nurturing—compassionate, caring, kind and generous.

I hope your heart is encouraged and touched by this story, and that you will continue to invest in the terrific kids who walk through our doors at UrbanPromise each day. Because of your generous help we are building a city of promise...one child at a time.

REFLECTIONS: BY BRUCE MAIN

“Bruce, I think Albert is feeling a little bit down,” said one of our staff members the other afternoon.

The next day when I saw him I asked, “How’s it going, Al? I could see he was not his usual up-beat self.

“Bruce, I’m worried, there’s a new drug operation just outside the church where we have our Club. There were junkies shooting up the other day just where our kids could see what was going down. What do you think we should do?”

Albert is an incredible young man who directs our North Camden After School program. He practically grew up in UrbanPromise as one of our most enthusiastic students—started when he was six year’s old—then attended our summer camps, was employed during his teen years as a great StreetLeader, and then went to Eastern University on a scholarship. After graduation Albert felt compelled to give back to his old neighborhood. “People came from all over the world as Volunteers to help me,” he always likes to share. “I just wanted to give back...kids relate to me and my story. I made it, now they can see how they can make it too.”

As we talked we explored some options of how Albert might approach the drug dealer: calling the police would only bring retribution, doing nothing would be detrimental to our kids. “I’m going to have a talk with that guy who runs that operation,” concluded my young friend.

Later that week Albert burst into my office. “Bruce, Bruce, I talked to the guy who runs the corner,” he began. “I asked him if he could move his operation somewhere else. I told him how I was trying to set an example for the little kids in the community.” Albert paused. “Right away the guy started to yell at his crew to clear the corner. Apologetically he told me that he would have them out of there by two o’clock.”

Albert then looked at me and asked curiously, “Bruce, did we ever have a guy named Jeff work here about--15 years ago?”

I dug back into my memory. “Fifteen years ago...yea, we did have a guy on staff named...Jeff. Yes, I remember he was an intern from Southern California, graduated from USC as I remember. He’d spent a number of years with UrbanPromise before going into teaching. Everybody liked him. Why do you ask?”

“Strange, but that dealer asked me if a guy named Jeff still worked at UrbanPromise. The dealer also told me that he had been part of UrbanPromise when he was in fifth grade and Jeff was his favorite counselor.”

Later, I mused on why our local drug pusher hadn’t turned out like Albert—a college graduate, one who had come back to the city to positively change his community. Instead, this nameless twenty seven year old had slipped through the cracks and ended up a drug dealer—yet a dealer who chose to apologetically shut down his operations so that young kids could safely enter our After School Center.

I don’t yet know that drug dealer’s name. But I will find out. Then, hopefully, and by God’s grace, I will have a chance to bring him up to date on the good things happening in Jeff’s life, and how those things could happen in his. For I believe the end of this sad story, this perplexing, brief encounter, has not yet been fully written. Our God continues to move in mysterious and exciting ways and writes miraculous stories.

Three hours drive down the interstate and UrbanTrekkers were ready to begin their White House tour. The nations capitol is an incredible setting to explore and stimulate a lot of thoughtful conversation in addition to having lots of fun. We visited memorials, The Holocaust Museum, Smithsonian Air & Space, outdoor ice skating rink and a remarkable exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery. I think UrbanTrekkers put more miles on their boots touring DC in four days than three days on the Appalachian Trail.

Mr. C is so inspiring in the morning....

Washington DC remains an exciting destination for UrbanTrekkers. With so much to do and see - getting away from our routines while being together over the Christmas holiday is a treat for all of us!